


Without Him

by Quinns_Clown



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 17:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7811605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quinns_Clown/pseuds/Quinns_Clown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Batman's dead, leaving the bat family without a structured system. With the family tearing itself apart, they must decide whether they can fight alongside each other under Barbara's command or if they'd be better off alone, working their own ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Without Him

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Yes, I'm back with a new story to distract me from finishing my first three stories. I'm sorry. T.T
> 
> Anyway, that all put aside, it's like 4 am and this is just a spur of the moment story, so I hope it's not too bad. Please enjoy, and as always feedback in always accepted and encouraged.

"What would Bruce think?" Dick yelled from across the cave, his voice echoing through the walls.

"He'd probably lay your ass out just for thinking about wearing his suit." Jason returned, only half in the conversation.

"Well somebody's gotta take his place, and let's face it, it's not going to be you." Dick stepped closer to the edge of the platform he was standing on and looked down at the other male, the batsuit laying loosely around his body.

Tim had been sitting in front of the computer, filing a report into the database and doing his best to ignore the conversation and Damian had been wandering around the cave, lacking something better to do.

"Take that off." Barbara's voice cut into the room. "You're not taking it either." She hissed, unintentionally. "Neither one of you is good enough for that."

"Then who is? You?" Jason stepped in, not really defending Dick. "In case you haven't noticed, Gotham's not getting any better under your command."

"Well it's not getting any worse either." This really hit home with her. It was something she knew she would have to deal with, something she knew she would have to do one day, she was just hoping it wouldn't have been so soon.

"You know, the worst thing about this isn't that he's gone, it's that you fail to keep this place running smoothly." Dick jumped in again, it wasn't because he was mad at her or anything, he just wasn't sure where he stood on her terms yet.

"Ah, pleasure to find you all down here. There is a guest upstairs that require attention." Alfred finally spoke up, ending the argument. "I assumed you're all hungry and took the liberty of making lunch. Please, feel free to eat before leaving again." He explained as he turned and walked back up the stairs, Barbara quick on his heels.

**************

"As you know, the technical department of Wayne enterprises was left to you, and so we felt it would only be right that you know of everything that's been going on." Tucker Ament, one of Wayne enterprises many representatives, spoke up.

"Absolutely, Mr Ament." Barbara answered him, confidence riding on her voice despite her lack of it. "So, what's the news?"

"We've been offered a deal from a company overseas, they would like to purchase a few of our gadgets, if you will, in hopes to catch a better understanding of our technological standpoints in the world." He continued, sounding more and more like a recorded message.

"What was it they were looking to buy?" She wasn't sure of what he was trying to sell, but she knew it probably wouldn't be good.

"Oh, yes. They seemed interested in prototypes 1617, 2424, and 9867." He pulled out a few pieces of paper and set them on the coffee table between them.

"No." She was blunt about it, and didn't really care. "We can't. Those are for the advancement of our military. We can't sell them to a company overseas that could use it against us." She felt herself grow sick, she knew it was the only way to turn down the offer, but she wasn't sure if it was the right way.

"I understand. We'll inform them of this as soon as possible. Thank you for your time." He gave a half hearted smile before collecting the papers and leaving.

Barb sat quietly in her chair, letting the world move for a moment. She didn't feel like doing anything, at all. Her recovery time was cut down to five minutes before she had to get back to work and was never given a chance to properly mourn Bruce.

"Hey, Babs." Dick plopped down on the couch in front of her. "How's it going?"

"Not good, Dick. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right anymore." She stared at the wall behind him for a while. "I mean, maybe I should just back down and let you or Jason take over the cave and just focus on Wayne enterprises."

"Come on, Barb, you can't do that. Jason and I know how to talk the talk, but when Bruce died, we didn't know how to walk the walk." He paused for a minute, nobody had been able to address the situation that simply. "You stepped up, helped us recoup and finish the fight. You took charge when we couldn't." He was taken back a bit by his own words. It was the truth, but no one faced it like this. "You were strong for all of us when we needed it. You saved us all."

"No, I didn't, or this wouldn't be a problem. Bruce would've walked down into the cave and sent us off to work if I saved us all, but he didn't. Instead it was me, breaking up a petty fight, which I still failed to do." She didn't mean to come off as mad, or upset, but the truth was that she was beating herself up over this all.

"Stop that. You didn't save him, but neither did we. The difference is that you pulled us out of there alive, which is better than what we were planning on doing." Dick was right, they both knew that, but neither one of them felt it was necessary to be said.

"We've got work to do." She whispered, just above silence, stood up and walked toward the grandfather clock. She opened up the secret door to the batcave and went down into the room. It had become silent again as everybody suited up, chose their patrolling stations, and left.


End file.
